


The Musical of YouTube

by Magic_Sparkle_Unicorn



Category: OMFGitsJackandDean, PewDiePie (YouTube RPF), Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Slomozovo, Tomska - Fandom, Video Blogging & YouTube RPF, cryaotic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 20:17:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3263003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magic_Sparkle_Unicorn/pseuds/Magic_Sparkle_Unicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you get when you throw your favourite youtubers into a theatrical production? A YouTube Musical of course!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KillJoy998](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillJoy998/gifts).



If there was one thing that Ryan regretted, it was allowing those idiots he called friends attempt to put on a play. Attempt being the operative word here, since he's participated and counted several failures of theirs since the whole thing started, and yet they still insist on making more. Only God knew why the Hell Ryan was letting them ruin any reputation they might have had previously. He didn't even know himself. 

So that's why he found himself with a goddamn wad of posters advertising the play. the fucking musical, really, because everyone had intended to sing. For fun. But now it's not fun because they are competitive fuckers that Ryan just didn't want to deal with, but they're his friends so he had to put up with it. It took a moment before he even had one of the posters the right way up, and his fumbling with them didn't enlighten his mood at all; how hard could it be to put up some stupid posters?  
"Dude, chill," Felix tried to calm him, even going as far as placing one hand on Ryan's shoulder and another hand moving towards the wad of posters. Ryan flipped out, pushing Felix back and drawing the posters away from him, intending to put them up himself. There was only a few left anyway. At least, that's what he told himself.  
"I can do it," Ryan insisted, rolling his eyes. Felix stayed silent, watching Ryan and moving his headphones down to his shoulders.  
"Come on. You've got most of them up there. Duuuuuude, we need to leave! For the auditions."  
Ryan stayed silent for just one more moment before he decided to nod in complete defeat, and he nudged Felix in the shoulder for good measure. "Alright. Let's get this over with."


	2. Chapter Two

The start of the auditions wasn't actually that bad. Everyone had gathered in the auditorium and Ryan was currently sat at a table with the rest of the judges who would ultimately decide who got what part. Ryan clapped his hands together to grab the attention of everybody. Once he had their undivided attention, he began telling them what the audition would entail. "Alright guys, what's going to happen is this. You are going to be put into pairs so you that you can act out part of the script. After that, you will each individually have two minutes to sing part of a song of your choice. There will then be a half an hour break for us to decide who gets what part and after that, you will get the results."  
Ryan picked up a piece of paper off of the table with the pairings on before proceeding to read them out. "The pairings are as follows; Jack and Tom, Phil and Chris, Felix and Dean. You'll have five minutes to-"  
"I'm not working with Felix." Dean interrupted, with an impressive scowl on his face. "I refuse."  
"But Dean-" Ryan tried, but he was yet again, interrupted.  
"No, I refuse to work with him!"  
"Why not? Is it because you're intimidated by how much taller I am than you?" Felix sneered, grinning snidely when Dean started to stalk over to him angrily.  
"What did you just say? Are you dissing my height?!"  
"Sorry pipsqueak, I cant hear you all the way up here."  
"Pipsqueak?! Pipsqueak?! Don't call me pipsqueak you fucking bastard!"  
"That's enough!" Ryan shouted. "We'll change the Pairings. Jack and Dean, Tom and Chris, Felix and Phil. Is that better? Can you all get along now? Good." He sighed and began to repeat what he was supposed to be saying. "Right, you now have five minutes to go over part of the script. Go."  
"But what about Dan?" Phil asked, causing Dan to look up in alarm.  
"What about me?" he asked curiously.  
"Why aren't you included in the pairings?"  
"Because I'm not auditioning. I don't want to take part."  
"Oh, Okay."  
The noise immediately rose, signalling to Ryan that their attention was now elsewhere so he sat back down and randomly shuffled papers until the five minutes was up. "Right, the first pair is Jack and Dean."  
Jack and Dean took centre stage, scrutinising their scripts and running through the lines with clear voices and quirky movements that made everyone else laugh loudly. Especially when they attempted to ballroom dance.  
The other pairs went mostly in the same way, quirky movements, loud laughs, but with their own uniqueness that separated them from each other. Ryan could tell that choosing the characters would be really hard. Why did he always have to get put in this position? They're all going to hate him if they don't get the part they want.  
"Okay guys, next is the singing. This is the order that you'll go in; Dean, Tom, Jack, Phil, Chris and Felix."  
Dean walked smugly to the middle of the stage and began to sing Let It Go, ignoring the groans of everyone else and dodging the banana that Jack threw at him.  
"Let the storm rage ooooooooonnnnnnnn! The cold never bothered me anyway." he finished with a bow, grinning at Jack who glared back in return.  
"I can't believe you chose to sing Let it go." Jack whined, "Why would you do that Dean?"  
"Because it annoys you Jack." Dean laughed, "Wait till you hear what Tom is going to sing."  
"Oh please no-"  
"All my life has been a series of doors in my face!"  
"Nooooooo!"  
"And then suddenly I bumped into you!"  
"Hahaha!"  
Ryan thanked his lucky stars after Tom had finished an no one else sang a Frozen song because he was pretty sure he would have cried if they had. Now though, there was just Felix left to audition and he couldn't wait. Ryan was pretty sure he had never heard Felix sing before.  
"Felix? It's your turn."  
"Okay." Felix stood nervously at the front of the stage, waiting for the music to start and looked around consciously when people began murmuring about his song choice. "You're insecure, don't know what for, you're turning heads when you walk through the do-o-or"  
Ryan stared at Felix, attempting to restrain the urge to cover his ears and sit and cry. It was just so...disastrous. His ears were bleeding and he was pretty sure everyone was having the same thoughts and feelings. He was pretty sure Chris was actually silently crying and holding his ears whilst Tom tried to comfort him without resolving to do the same thing.  
"Okay, Felix, thank you, that's enough." Please stop, he added silently in his mind. He loved Felix, he did, but there was only so much he could take. "Take half an hour guys. We'll be back with your parts then."

Half an hour later, everyone had gathered back in the auditorium and there was a low hum of excitement in the air as they awaited there designated parts.  
"I want to be the Evil Villain!" Dean announced, laying across Jack who was still refusing to speak to him because of the Frozen song. "I'd make a great villain, right Jack?"  
"Sure Dean. Whatever you say."  
"Ha, you spoke to me! I knew you couldn't ignore me for long." Dean yelled in triumph, hugging him tightly.  
"He's been ignoring you since your audition Dean." Tom commented without looking up from his bass.  
"So?"  
"So, he's been ignoring you for just under an hour." Chris answered, "Meaning he has ignored you for a long time. Also, It's only because you're laid across him that he can't physically ignore you."  
"Oh shut up Chris." Dean sighed, sticking his tongue out at him childishly, which was returned by Chris before they both grinned at each other.  
"Oi, shortstack, I need your help!"  
Dean jumped up and kicked Felix in the leg, "What have I told you about taking the piss out of my height?!"  
"I don't know, my head was in the clouds."  
Before Dean could kick him again, Ryan walked up to them and cleared his throat loudly. Felix and Dean immediately moved about five feet apart, glaring daggers at each other and coming up with plans to 'accidentally' kill the other.  
"Do you guys want your parts or no? Because if you keep acting like this, none of you will take part and this whole thing will be cancelled." Ryan threatened. The others all nodded seriously at him and mumbles apologies to each other.  
"So, what parts have we got?" Phil asked, dragging Dan over with him.  
"Well, You're the narrator, Phil."  
"Yes!" Phil cheered, doing a small victory dance.  
"Jack, You're Prince Charming and Dean, you are Princess Daisy."  
"What?! Oh come on!" Dean complained, "You've got to be kidding me! The Princess!?"  
"Well you do have the hair for it." Jack smirked, putting an arm round him.  
"Tom, You're Paul, the Princes' best friend and Chris, you're the Evil Villain."  
"Whoo! That's awesome!" Chris laughed.  
"Hey Chris, you can borrow Panther-Lily for the-"  
"No Tom, I am not having a cat."  
"What about me?" Felix asked, "Who am I?"  
Ryan paused, thinking about how he was going to break it to Felix that he was a tree. "Well, erm, hey, have you seen that film, Pocahontas and there's that giant talking tree that is really wise and that?"  
"Yeah."  
"Well, you're a magical tree like that one. Okay?"  
Felix's shoulders slumped and Ryan's heart melted at the devastated expression on his face. "Yeah, okay." Ryan had to make this okay, he had to make Felix happy again.  
"Erm...erm...you're also in charge of the music! When the performer comes on, you have to play the guitar for him!" He said quickly, not realising what he had just said until he had said it.  
"Really? Awesome bro!" Felix bounded over to hug Ryan happily, who internally sighed in relief that the crisis had been averted.  
"We just have one small problem." He said.  
"Well what's that?" Tom questioned.  
"We're one person short. We still need the performer to help the prince, but there's no one else."  
"Dan can do it!" Phil called, pushing Dan forward.  
"What?! No I can't! I don't want to!"  
"Tough you have to!"  
"But Phil!"  
"Phil, Dan doesn't have to participate if he doesn't want to. You can't force him to."  
Phil ignored Ryan and turned to Dan with pleading eyes, "Pleeeease Dan? For me? Please?"  
Dan tried not to look Phil in the eye, but he failed miserably. He couldn't deny Phil anything. He sighed in defeat and nodded, "Alright. I'll do it."  
"Yes! Thank you Dan!" Phil cheered, again, hugging Dan tightly.  
"Are you sure Dan?" Ryan asked, not wanting to make Dan take part if he didn't want to.  
"Yeah, I'm sure."  
"Alright then, we have a full cast, that's great!" Ryan grinned at the all. "Rehearsals start tomorrow at three. Don't be late!"


	3. Chapter Three

The first day of rehearsals was always going to be hectic, but even so, Ryan expected everyone to be here on time.  
"Does anybody, and I mean anybody, know where Dan or Tom is?" He called out, capturing the attention of the other five that had actually shown up on time.  
Chris raised his hand before he called out, "Tom sends his apologies, but he's going to be late. He will definitely be here though." he added.  
"Do we know the reason why?"  
"Nope."  
"Right. Dan?" he got no answer from any of them. "Phil? Any ideas on where Dan is?" he asked as a last resort.  
"Nope, but I can go look for him?" Phil answered, hopping down off of the stage and skipping towards the door.  
"You do that." Just as Phil left, Tom walked in, carefully carrying something that looked suspiciously like a pet carrier. "Where have you been Tom?!"  
Tom froze and looked sheepishly at Ryan.  
"I'm really sorry. I had to chase Panther-Lily because she wouldn't get in the pet carrier and she kept running away and...." he paused, looking at everyone's confused faces. "Panther-Lily is my cat. I brought my cat. For Chris. To be a villain?" the last part was more of a question as Tom had noticed Chris' face becoming more and more angry.  
"Well, you're here-" Ryan started, but was soon interrupted by Chris.  
"I don't need a cat! What on earth made you think I need a cat?!" Chris asked angrily, glaring at him.  
"Well, I thought that all villains have some sort of animal and it's usually a cat and I had a cat and It's okay with you, right Ryan?" he looked at him desperately, hoping to get someone on his side.  
Of course he would drag Ryan into though. He was the Director and in charge, bla-di-bla-di-bla, but seriously? Dragging him into arguments that he really didn't want to be part of. Not cool.  
"Sure, Tom, you can bring the cat in for the play." Ryan noticed Chris about to complain and he whirled to face him quickly, "Don't even try. You will accept the cat and you will deal with it and you won't yell at Tom, are we clear?"  
Chris glared at him, but didn't say anything else, instead, he turned away, pointedly ignoring Tom and the Cat meowing from inside the pet carrier. Ryan shook his head and climbed onto the stage to go talk to the other three and to give them their official scripts. And to help Jack calm down the growing argument between Dean and Felix. Again.  
"You shouldn't say that!" Dean started, jabbing Felix in his arm. "Why do you always say that?!"  
"Say what?" Felix feigned innocence, crossing his arms and stepping away from Dean. "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
"Of course you do you-"  
"Alright that's enough guys, hey, here's your scripts." Ryan stood in the middle of them, giving them their scripts whilst simultaneously separating them. Jack mouthed a thank you at him and he nodded in response. "As soon as we get Dan here, we start, okay? Leave your feud at the door and don't bring it in here, got it? Professionalism guys." He sighed. He grabbed Felix's hand and led him away from Dean and back to the seats in the audience where he had to stay. "Why do you constantly wind him up?" he questioned as they sat down together.  
Felix shrugged and leaned against Ryan's shoulder. "It's funny. Plus, he is really short and I cant help, but to point it out."  
Ryan tried to hold back a snigger, but partially failed. "Seriously? But why? How did it even start anyway?"  
"Well, you see-"  
Felix got no further because the door flew open and Phil skipped back in, pulling Dan along behind him.

Everyone looked up and cheered when they entered and Dan looked at the floor, really not wanting to be there. He was hoping that he could have just missed the rehearsal and been replaced, but then Phil had found him and gave him puppy dog eyes and he gave in, even though now he wished that he hadn't.  
"Hi guys."  
"Dan! You made it!" Chris called over sarcastically, knowing how much Dan didn't want to be there and inwardly laughing at the fact that he had been forced to show up.  
"Yeah, I guess I did." Dan answered, just as sarcastically, flipping him off.  
"Be proud man, you're actually alive. Ryan hasn't killed you yet."  
"Whatever. Can't someone else just take my part?"  
"Nope" Phil joined in, squeezing Dan's arm. "You will participate."  
"But I don't-"  
"You. Will. Participate." Phil ground out seriously, causing Dan to gulp in fear.  
"Okay" he agreed and immediately, Phil was all smiles again, bouncing around. Crisis averted. For now. 

Ryan squeezed Felix's hand before moving him off of his shoulder so that he could stand. "Alright guys," he called out, "Now that Dan is here," He turned to glare at Dan as he continued, "We can get started. So, today it's going to be all about characterisation. You are all going to get to know your characters properly so you can become them." He looked at the blank expressions on his friends faces and face palmed. "You don't understand a word i'm saying, do you?"  
They all shook their heads slowly.  
"How did you guys ever get into drama?" Ryan asked rhetorically.  
"Hey!" Chris argued, "I take great offence to that!"  
"Tell me what Characterisation means then." Ryan said impatiently, waiting expectantly for an answer. Chris looked at him blankly and shrugged.  
"That has to be a trick question."  
"Seriously? You learn what it means in your first year." Ryan sighed.  
"Oh. Well, I don't take offence anymore."  
"Good." Ryan cleared his throat and addressed all of them again. "Basically, read your lines, understand your character, and then act like your character. Capiche?"  
They all nodded their heads in understanding, all of them grinning (except for Dan who just looked annoyed) as they walked off to read their scripts in their pairs. Ryan sat back down next to Felix and smiled softly at him. They sat in comfortable silence, Ryan keeping an eye on everyone else to make sure they were doing what they were supposed to and Felix laying across Ryan, reading his script quietly, occasionally turning the page.  
Felix broke the silence first.  
"Ryan?"  
"What?"  
"How am I supposed to understand a tree?"


	4. Chapter Four

A few weeks into rehearsals and everything was going great. Well, as great as Ryan could have hoped. There were arguments, (courtesy of Dean and Felix), Disputes over costumes, ("There is no way in Hell I am wearing that!"), and the occasional, "Tom, you're fucking cat just scratched me again!", but asides all of that, it was going pretty good. 

At the moment, everyone was polishing up their scenes and trying to read off script with as minimal prompting as possible. Ryan was calling them up separately to go over their solos and now it was Jack's turn.  
"Which song am I singing?" Jack asked, leaving his group and standing at the front of the stage in front of Ryan.  
"To be King." Ryan informed him as he handed him the microphone set that he would be using in the actual performance, "You need to use this to get used to it. It's your microphone for the entire performance."  
"Oh. Alright." Jack looked at the device doubtfully, and put it into place. He began to start singing, but Ryan stopped him after the first line. "What's wrong?"  
"You need to act while your singing." Ryan explained. "You can't just sing the song to the audience otherwise it won't go with the play. You need to act the words. Tom!"  
There was no answer for a moment, but then Tom appeared from no-where and made Jack jump as he spoke, "What?"  
"Jesus man, where did you come from?"  
"Mars." Tom answered before looking at Ryan, "You wanted me?"  
"Yeah. Your scene with Jack when he sings 'To be King? Act it with him."  
"What, now?"  
"No, next week." Ryan said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "Yes now!"  
Tom shrugged and walked off stage, with Jack following him until they came back on in the opposite order.  
"Charming, seriously, what are you waiting for, go get the girl!" Tom said exasperatingly, jogging slightly to overtake Jack and then walking backwards so he was facing him. "What's your problem?"  
"I can't! I'm not allowed to leave the Palace grounds, Paul, you know this." Jack answered and stopped walking, turning away from Tom. By now, everyone had stopped what they were doing and were now watching the scene with undying attention.  
"But dude, you are the Prince, doesn't that mean anything?" Tom continued, ignoring everyone else staring at them. He stood on a little box that happened to be near by so that he was taller than Jack and put a hand on his shoulder, moving slightly so that he was facing him. "Can't you, I don't know, bribe the guards or something?"  
Jack looked at him disbelievingly, becoming his character more and more as the scene went on, "You have to be kidding, Paul. I can't bribe the guards, they work for my father who is currently obsessed with that creepy guy we keep seeing and demanding his head. If I try to bribe the guards, he will know that I am trying to leave the Kingdom and henceforth lock me in my room until I have to succeed the throne." Jack then began to thoughtfully look into the distance and sighed heavily. "I can't wait to be King."  
Suddenly the music started and Ryan turned his head from the scene unfolding in front of him to see Felix standing at the sound box and he gave him a thumbs up which was returned. He turned back in time to see Jack sigh heavily and move away from Tom.  
"I can't go out and see the world,  
I'm stuck behind these walls.  
With no friends except for you,  
It's becoming a bore." Jack started, walking across to the opposite side of the stage, turning quickly when Tom interrupted with feigned hurt.  
"Hey!"  
Jack rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean." He said, refraining from laughing.  
"It's true."  
"Soon it will change.  
Soon I'll be free.  
And I just cannot wait to be King!" Jack ran back over to Tom and jumped onto the box with him.  
"You'll make a fine King, one that has never been before," Tom joined in, even though it wasn't in the script, but Ryan decided he liked it and wanted to keep it anyway. He wrote it into the script.  
"I'll make a great King,  
I'll open all the doors.  
I will see the world,  
I'll get the girl!  
And I just cannot wait, till I'm king!" Jack jumped down, dragging Tom with him and moved his arm in a motion as if to show that he was showing Tom the entire Kingdom.  
"Soon all of this will be mine, and I can go explore!"  
"No one will stop you, you'll be King"  
"Things to see and places to go,"  
"No one will stop you, you'll be King"  
"Everything will be done my way!"  
"No one will stop you, you'll be King."  
"Oh I just."  
"Oh he just."  
"Can't wait."  
"Can't wait."  
"To be King!!!" Tom and Jack sang together, carrying on the last note for ages until they ran out of breath. They allowed the note to drop and then gave each other a look before bursting out with laughter. All the others began applauding them, including Ryan and he stood up to speak to them properly.  
"That was amazing. Totally amazing. Tom, I'm writing in your singing parts because that was great."  
"Wait, the singing wasn't part of the script?" Tom asked, running to pick his copy up and he scrutinised the scene, oh-ing with realisation. "I was only supposed to say most of that, wasn't I?"  
"Yes, but that doesn't matter, the script has now been changed." Ryan said quickly, turning to Jack. " Jack, your acting improved in the song by a thousand percent. Good work."  
"Uh, thanks, I guess." Jack said, just as Dean barreled into him like a demonic rugby player.  
"You were fantastic Jack!" He congratulated, hugging him tightly.  
"Dean? I can't breath. All I did was sing, it doesn't really warrant a hug, does it?"  
"Of course it does, don't be silly Jack."  
"Right." "I'm serious." Dean said holding him tighter.  
"Just let him hug you Jack. It'll be over quicker." Chris rolled his eyes, throwing an arm around Tom's shoulders and nuzzling him.  
"I don't mind hugging Dean." Jack retorted, hugging back to prove his point, "I just need to breathe when he does hug me."  
"Fair point."  
"Have you guys seen Dan?" Phil asked, wandering over to them. "I can't him anywhere." 

"Dan?!" Ryan called over the hubbub of noise on stage, "Your turn!" He got no answer and he frowned, waiting for a reply that didn't come. Once the noise had died down, he tried calling for Dan again, wondering if he just hadn't heard him over the noise. "Dan?! Seriously, answer me." By now, the others had started looking around and murmuring about the whereabouts of Dan when he didn't turn up for call the second time. "Where is he?!"  
"I don't know," Phil answered and Ryan sighed. If Dan had disappeared again, they were going to have words.  
"Alright, everyone start looking for him. Tell me if you find him."  
They nodded and began searching backstage for Dan, calling out as they went. Fifteen minutes later, everyone came back shaking their heads after having no luck finding him.  
"Has nobody found anything?"  
They all shook their heads again.  
"Right, well, we're going to have to-" The door swung open and Dan entered holding three big bags of food and two trays of coffee and teas. "Where have you been?!" Ryan demanded harshly, glaring daggers at him and folding his arms across his chest.  
"Coffee run. And I brought food. For us and the Cat"  
"Yey!" The rest of them cheered, except for Ryan, who eyed Dan suspiciously, before shrugging and taking a coffee from the tray. Dan was here now and they were a week away from the actual performance. What could possibly go wrong?


	5. Chapter Five

Ryan was stressing. Scrap that, they were all stressing. There was half a week left till the actual performance and there was no set. It was none existent. Not one of them, not one out of the eight of them, had remembered about the goddamn set! Emergency plans had been drawn up and they had consecutively decided to spend all day making and painting it, only now there was no paint because Jack and Chris still hadn't returned from their trip out to buy some. Ryan hit his head repeatedly against his desk, damning his own stupidity for forgetting about one of the most important parts of the play. He only stopped when someone restrained him and he glanced up to see Felix stood next to him, silently pulling him up out of his seat and hugging him tightly.   
"It'll be okay Ryan, I promise."   
"You can't promise that Felix." Ryan mumbled quietly into his shoulder.  
"I just did, didn't I?" Felix retorted, letting him go and grabbing his hand instead, pulling him towards the set. "C'mon. Let's go help."  
Today was going to be a long day. 

Jack grabbed an extra bag off of Chris so that Chris could open the door and they bustled in, almost falling over each other in their haste.  
"We have paint!" Jack yelled over to the others, grinning insanely.  
"In all the colours of the rainbow!" Chris added, taking his bag back from Jack and laughing as they all cheered, turning away from the set for a split second. Eventually, Jack and Chris made it to the stage and dumped the bags on it with a metallic thud, laying down on the stage next to them.   
"You would not believe the amount of paint stores we had to visit to get all of the colours. One store would have had some, but not the others and vise versa." Jack mumbled, and Chris nodded in agreement.  
"It was a nightmare."  
"Well," Ryan started, "Now we have paint, we can start painting the set, so get up," He threw paintbrushes at them both, "And paint!"  
Jack and Chris groaned, but hauled themselves up and moved over to the half drawn set, opening all the paint tins they could and setting to work.

"Hey, where did the blue paint go?" Dean asked, turning in a full circle to look for it, but unable to find it.  
"I don't know." Dan replied from next to him, a steady hand carefully outlining a bush in green. "Where did you have it last?"   
"It was right next to me! I put it right there!" He pointed next to his left foot which had nothing next to it.  
"Then I don't know. Go get some more."   
"That was the last of the blue! Where's it gone?!"  
"I told you I don't know!" Dan said in annoyance, "Go look for it instead of bugging me about it."  
"You are no help at all."  
"Good."  
Dean sighed at walked off, searching for the paint, but no one else had seen it. Well, not until a small drip of it landed on his head.  
"What the...what....Felix!" he yelled, looking up and seeing Felix on a step ladder painting the top of the set.  
"Yes? What do you want?" Felix asked, continuing to paint and semi-ignoring Dean.  
"Why do you have my blue paint?!"  
"Because I needed it. And it's not just yours, it belongs to us all so we can finish the set." Felix replied, huffing angrily and turning to look down at Dean, "Go away."  
"Not until you give me my paint back."  
"Well you'll be waiting a long time short-stack."  
"You fucker!" Dean kicked the bottom of the step-ladder knocking it over and sending Felix crashing to the floor, knocking the blue paint everywhere.  
"Knulla!" Felix cursed as he hit his head on the floor, and he laid there for a moment, stunned.  
"Stop taking the piss out of my height!!!"   
Felix started to stand back up again, glaring at Dean dangerously as he did so. "Knulla" he said again painfully as he put pressure on his foot.   
"What? What did you say?" Dean asked, hating the fact that he couldn't understand what Felix was saying. He advanced towards him, but was restrained by Phil and Jack, who tugged him backwards.   
"Leave it Dean, the consequences won't be worth it, you know that."  
"But he-" Dean protested, but Phil cut in.  
"We, don't care. Just stop. And apologise."  
"I am not-"  
"Dean." Jack said warning tone and Dean sighed sighed heavily.  
"Sorry."  
Felix nodded in acknowledgment and limped away, going find Ryan. Once he was out of view, Jack and Phil released Dean, and looked mournfully at the loss of blue paint.   
"Does this mean I have to go buy more?" Jack asked.  
"I think so."  
"Chris!"

Felix found Ryan backstage colouring more of the set designs and he sat heavily in the seat next to him.  
"What happened to you?" Ryan asked, knowing that something had happened without having to look up at him.  
"Fell off the step-ladder." Felix replied curtly, putting his feet up on the chair opposite him.  
"You got pushed off it, didn't you?"  
"Yep."  
"By Dean?"  
"Yep."  
"You took the piss out of his height again, didn't you?"  
"Yep."  
"You're own fault then." Ryan concluded, finishing the design and placing it on the board that he was going to take out and show the rest of them so they could finish the next half of the set.   
"I suppose." Felix agreed, not wanting to argue with him. He looked at the set designs and smiled. "They look really good." he complimented him. "I like the colour choices."  
Ryan looked up at him in surprise and gave him a small smile back. "I like them too." He dropped a kiss on the top of Felix's head and ruffled his hair gently, "Thanks," He murmured softly.  
"What for?"  
"Making me believe It'll all be okay."


	6. Chapter Six

The set was mostly painted, so the next day, Ryan made them all rehearse again, all the solos, scenes and songs. It was the day before the actual performance, so they had to get everything perfect. Dan had turned up late, yet again and hadn't had as much practice as the rest of them had had. So here they were, repeating his solo over and over again, with music, without music and with the entire scene being acted out to get to the solo. And it was taking a toll on everyone. Especially Dan.

Dan's patience was wearing thin. Very thin. Paper thin. he was so close to just screaming and punching somebody in the face, that's how thin his patience was wearing. His eyes narrowed as Ryan stopped him yet again and he inwardly groaned in frustration as Ryan spoke.  
"Alright Dan, start again, but use more feeling. You need more feeling, this is an emotional song." Ryan instructed from his seat and Dan refrained from answering with that unless someone was murdered, this was the most emotion they were going to get. Instead he just nodded and sat back down on his chair that was on a miniature stage on top of the main stage. He listened intently to the music that Felix created with his guitar, counting the bars of the intro that passed far too quickly and began singing the opening lines of the song. Dan was pretty proud of his crescendo up to the chorus, but the music stopped suddenly just as he reached it, replaced by the sound of Dean insulting Felix and the answering comeback which just angered Dan as their voices overpowered his own.  
"Ignore them Dan!" Ryan called out over them, "Carry on"  
Dan nodded and continued singing the second verse of the song, trying desperately not to be distracted by the now physical fight between Felix and Dean. He closed his eyes as he came back to the chorus again, feeling the music surround him and he honestly tried to put more emotion into the lyrics he was singing, trying to recreate the emotions that the song created when it was originally released. The moment he became detached from reality and truly embraced the music was the moment it all went to Hell. Dean shoved Felix backwards, causing him to trip up over the set and fall into Dan, knocking him off of his chair and sending him face first into the floor. The entire auditorium fell silent as they realised the full extent of what had just happened. Dan stood up slowly, carefully wiping away the blood from his newly split lip and he glared dangerously at Felix and Dean, who had started backing away in fear slowly.  
"Um," Felix started, gulping nervously, "Sorry?" It came out more as a question than an apology and Dan gave them a feral smile.  
"Sorry?" he repeated quietly, "You're, sorry?!" he shouted on the last word, causing them both to jump. "You know what?! I'm sorry too! I'm sorry I ever agreed to this shit! I quit! I fucking quit!" He threw down his script on the stage furiously and and jumped down off the stage, ignoring everybody who was calling him back and yelling apologies at him. Ryan stood up to stop him, but one look from Dan made him sit back down again. 

Storming out of the auditorium, Dan made his way outside to the car park. Dan wasn't planning on stopping, but he had no choice but to stop when a hand grabbed his and pulled him back. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.  
"What do you want Phil?"  
Phil didn't answer. Instead, he turned Dan around and wrapped his arms around him tightly. A moment of silence passed by before wither of them spoke.  
"Come back." Phil asked, hugging his tighter.  
"No Phil. I'm can't." Dan stated quietly, "I'm not going back. I'm quitting and I'm staying gone."  
"Please Dan!" Phil turned to begging, not knowing what else to do. "The show is tomorrow! You can't leave! Not now! Please Dan, we've come so close, you can't quit now! Dan!"  
"I'm sorry Phil." Dan sighed softly, stepping back. He kissed Phil's forehead and stepped back a bit more. "You'll do great Phil. I'll see you tomorrow after the show." Dan untangled himself from Phil and ruffled his hair, beginning to walk away.  
"Dan! Don't you dare walk away from me!"  
"Goodbye Phil."  
"Dan!"  
Dan refused to turn around and look back at Phil, but he knew he had made the right choice.

Everyone awaited the return of Phil in silence, occasionally stealing awkward glances at each other and glaring pointedly at Felix and Dean (who were sitting with their heads hung in shame) whenever they could. The door swung open with a squeak, causing Ryan to stand up and turn, looking for Dan. Instead, he saw a Dan-less Phil wiping his eyes. Sighing, he sat back down, covering his face with his hands. They were less than 24 hours away from opening night with an unfinished set and no Dan. But his luck just keeps getting better. The blame game had begun.  
"It's all your fault!" Phil screamed at Felix and Dean, "It was all of your fighting because you two just cant get along! You made him quit!"  
"Hey, it wasn't just our fault!" Dean yelled back, "We didn't force him to quit!"  
"Yes you did!" Phil jumped onto the stage and pushed Dean, causing him to stumble back, "It was you and your pathetic feud!"  
"Don't push him!" Jack shoved Phil away from Dean and stood protectively in front of him. "It's just as much your fault as it is his!"  
Phil snorted, "How did you come to that conclusion, Einstein?" He asked sarcastically.  
"You're the one who forced him into auditioning in the first place!" Jack retorted, crossing arms, almost certain that he had won the argument.  
"But I'm not the one with a pathetic feud that caused a fight that actually made Dan leave!"  
"Guys, stop fighting, it wont do any of us good." Tom stood between them with his arms outstretched to separate them. "Please don't fight."  
"Stay out of this Tom." Phil and Jack hissed in unison, both turning and pushing Tom to the floor, where he landed awkwardly on his wrist.  
"Ow!"  
"What do you think you are doing?!" Chris ran over to Tom to help him up, being mindful of his wrist. "Look what you've done to Tom!"  
"Shut up Chris!" Phil and Jack yelled, still glaring daggers at each other, knowing if looks could kill they'd both be six foot under.  
"Don't speak to Chris like that!"  
"What did we say Tom?!"  
"Stop it." Ryan said quietly, trying to stave off his impending headache. They all ignored him. "Leave them alone!" Felix joined in from seemingly nowhere. "They didn't do anything!"  
"No, they're just getting involved in something that doesn't concern them."  
"Stop it." Ryan said a little louder, but still, they ignored him.  
"It does concern us! In case you haven't noticed, we're in this production too, one that is now a member down!" Chris argued. Dean turned and pushed him away from Jack and Phil, inadvertently causing him to jar Tom's wrist.  
"Stay out of it Chris! You have no place in this argument! Leave it!"  
"No! We'll stay! We have every right!"  
"Leave them alone Dean!"  
"Shut it Felix! Or I'll really break your face!"  
"Try it bro! I dare you!"  
"Its all your fault!"  
"It's your fault too!"  
"No it's not!"  
"Stay out of this!"  
"Stop It!" Ryan roared, his voice drowning out the rest. He stood up and glared at them dangerously. "Just stop it!" The others were shocked into silence at his outburst and they shrank back from him. "In case you haven't noticed, we are now a cast member down, we have a set to finish, you still don't know all your lines for the last scene, we are less than 24 hours away from opening night and all you guys can do is play the fucking blame game! Now fucking pull yourselves together!!! Its no ones fault that Dan quit, okay?! Felix and Dean!" They straightened quickly and restrained themselves from saluting. "You two need to get over your fucking feud, you hear me? Its making everybody fucking miserable! Phil! You cant blame everyone else for what Dan did! Jack! Let Dean fight his own battles once in a while, okay?!" He collapsed back into his chair, trying to regain control of his breathing. "Chris, go and take Tom to get his wrist seen to. The rest of you, go home."  
"But Ryan-"  
"I said go home!" Everyone began to file out of the auditorium, mumbling apologies to each other. Everyone, except Felix.  
"Ryan?"  
"Go home Felix. We're done for the night." Instead of leaving, Felix silently made his way to Ryan and sat in the chair next to him before pulling him into a hug.  
"Don't worry about it, Ry. It'll all turn out okay in the end." Felix whispered, trying to comfort him.  
"Then why do I feel like it's all ruined before its even started?" Ryan shook his head and gently untangled himself from Felix. "Unless we get some sort of miracle, this show is never going to be ready on time." Standing slowly, Ryan stretched like a cat and sighed heavily, starting to leave. "Go home Felix. I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Alright. Love you."  
"And I you." With those parting words, Ryan left Felix alone in the auditorium with a single light left on stage as company.

After Ryan had left him on his own, Felix had stayed right where he was for a while, staring thoughtfully at the unfinished set. He eventually walked back over to it, picking up a paintbrush and paints on the way. The outlines were already drawn on with a black marker and there was a sheet of paper pinned to the backing board with the colour schemes on. After all, he had all night. He would do this. For Ryan. But first there was someone he needed to call. Digging his phone out of his pocket, he picked the number that he never thought he would ever call in his entire life, but was in his contacts anyway at everyone's insistence 'in case something happened.' The dial tone started up and he waited, resenting the fact that he was actually hoping that they were going to pick up. "Hello?" "Dean? Good you answered." "Felix? What the fuck are you calling me for?" "I need your help." Felix cringed as he uttered those words and he knew gloating would follow during the week. "You need my help?" Dean asked, and Felix could almost hear the smugness in his voice. "Why do you need my help?" "To finish the set." "What, now? Are you insane?! It's late, Felix," Dean paused as though a thought had just occurred to him, "Why are you still there anyway?" "I'm going to finish the set, but I need some help and everyone else is angry at me. Plus, after what happened this afternoon, it's kind of our fault that the set isn't finished anyway." Felix countered, "So, I'm asking you for your help to finish the set. Now." All Felix heard was silence and he sighed heavily. "I'm willing to call a truce and I promise not to take the piss out of your height." he could almost hear Dean thinking it over in his head before agreeing. "Alright fine. But one word about my height, or even slightly offending, you're on your own, got it?" "Yeah. Um, Thanks." Felix said quickly. "It's fine. Give me half an hour." "Alright. See you soon." There was no answer as the call was disconnected and Felix hung his head, almost in shame. They would never speak of this again and the truce was temporary. They will never, ever, ever, get along. Or at least, that's what he kept telling himself.


	7. Chapter Seven

Felix had already started painting by the time Dean turned up and he barely turned around to acknowledge his presence. He pointed to a brush and a pot of paint, (which he deemed instructions enough), before continuing with his own painting and it was only when he realised Dean hadn't moved from his spot on the stage that he looked over at him with a bored expression.  
"What?"  
Dean looked at him disbelievingly and picked up the paint pot. "What am I supposed to be painting? Like, which part?"  
Felix rolled his eyes and pointed to the sheet of paper that had the designs on. "Paint any part of the unfinished set using this as a guide so you know which colour to use." He instructed, going back to his section and changing his colour of paint. Dean nodded in understanding at him and walked to the other side of the stage where most of the unfinished set stood, beginning to paint. They existed in a comfortable silence, occasionally asking the other for a different colour or a new brush, but strangely, they were no insults thrown at each other, there were no arguments, there were no fights. Dean and Felix had managed to stay within ten metres of each other without causing a fight and both of them were pretty sure that Hell had put in an ice rink and that pigs had suddenly been bred to fly because of it. It just didn't happen.  
"Why do you hate me?" Dean asked suddenly, causing Felix to jump slightly as the voice broke the silence.   
"What?"  
"Why do you hate me?" Dean repeated, purposefully not looking at Felix, keeping his gave on the part of the set that he was painting. "I mean, what did I do to make you insult me all the time?"  
"You didn't do anything. I don't think I did either." Felix replied, risking a glance at him, "I don't even know how it started, except that you took offence to something I said and it went from there."  
"I can't remember that far back."  
"Oh well."  
They remained silent for a while more until Dean dropped his paintbrush and walked over to Felix with an outstretched hand. "Truce?" he asked, looking at Felix seriously.  
"Until when?" He asked cautiously, looking warily at the hand.  
Dean shrugged, "Look, I know we're not going to be best friends and all of that, but we can at least be civil with each other, right?"  
Felix considered this before nodding and shaking Deans hand.   
"Truce."

Eventually they finished the set and both of them were ready to fall over in exhaustion. Actually, Dean already had. Felix had glanced over at him to see him sleeping, using a paintbrush as a pillow and laughed despite himself. Looking at his watch, he realised that is was way past two in the morning, and his eyes felt as though they were disintegrating in his head, but it was all worth it. The set was finished, He and Dean had reached a truce and he was sure that Ryan was be pleased that there was two less things to worry about. And now he was going to sleep. Just a quick nap. He wasn't even going to go home. Instead, he laid down on the stage exactly where he was and decided he wasn't going to move for a few hours. He wiped his forehead, smudging paint across it that would join the other pink, green and blue splatters in his face and clothes and smiled to himself as he fell asleep almost immediately.


	8. Chapter Eight

Ryan turned up way too early the next morning, but he didn't care, he was too nervous to sleep in. He hadn't heard from Felix since he had left him here last night on his own and there was still the problem of Dan not being here, but he already had a plan for that. He just hoped it worked. Dropping his bag down with a heavy thud he glanced up at the set and nodded to himself when he saw it was finished...wait. It was finished? Ryan took a second look and confirmed to himself that the set was indeed finished and the reasons for it being so were laying on opposite sides of the stage. Panic filled him as he hurried over to them and then had to stop himself from going into shock as he realised that they weren't dead, but were infact sleeping peacefully with paint splattered all over there faces and...was that a paintbrush stuck to Deans head? Ryan shook his head in disbelief and decided to inspect the set, which was actually, really well done and he made a mental note to thank them when they woke up. Speaking of which-  
"OI!"   
"What the fuck!?" They both jerked awake and sat up straight quickly before groaning and rubbing their eyes.   
"Ugh," Felix muttered, "My neck hurts."  
"What are you two doing here?" Ryan asked in a serious tone. "Another subject all together, how are you two still alive?"  
"Yeah, good morning to you Ryan." Dean answered, "This moron phoned me and said he needed help finishing the set, and basically blackmailed me because, yes I admit, it was my fault too, but he used it against me. And then we made a truce. So no more fighting."  
Ryan's seriousness disappeared and he immediately went over to Felix and placed a hand on his forehead before going over to Dean and doing the same thing.   
"Ryan?"  
"Are you two feeling okay? I don't think you realise what you've just said."  
"You mean the part where me and Dean made a truce? That part." Felix asked, smirking.  
"Yeah, that part."   
"Nope, it's true."  
"Hell put in an ice rink." Ryan mumbled just as his phone went off. "Hello?"  
"Ryan it's me."  
"Jack? What's up?"  
"I can't find Dean."  
Ryan barely contained his laughter as he tried to keep his voice serious and he looked over at Dean who blushed and looked away, suddenly finding the stage floor very interesting.   
"Oh, you can't?"  
"No, and he won't answer his phone either. It's been switched off."  
"He's fine Jack." Ryan answered, "He's here, at the auditorium."  
"He is? What's he doing there?" Jack's voice held so much confusion, Ryan had to laugh.   
"It seems that he and Felix decided that they were going to finish the set themselves overnight with no other help."  
"So they're both dead then?" Jack asked, and Ryan heard him curse under his breath, "That means we need to find three more people to stand in for tonight. How are we going to manage that Ryan? It will be hard enough to find someone to take Dan's place on such short notice."  
"We don't have to worry about replacing them Jack. They've made a truce." Ryan waited as he heard the phone fall out of Jacks hand and hit the floor and the accompanying swearing that went with it. "You okay there Jack?"  
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, I'm fine what do you mean they've made a truce and that they're not dead? You mean they actually didn't kill each other?!"  
"Let me pass you onto Dean, he can explain it to you."  
"Alright."  
Ryan passed the phone to Dean and sat down next to Felix, watching as Dean took the phone backstage so that he could explain to Jack just what exactly had gone on and to prove that, yes he was still alive, and no he wasn't ill, the truce is a real thing. Felix leaned into Ryan's side and yawned loudly, closing his eyes and slowing his breathing.   
"Don't you be falling asleep on me Felix," Ryan chastised, but he wasn't really angry. "It's your own fault for staying up most of the night."  
"I just wanted to help." Felix mumbled back quietly, "Just wanted to stop you worrying about it all."  
Ryan sighed softly at the statement and kissed the top of Felix's head, "You help me in just being there, Felix." He said gently, "But thank you. You have definitely helped solve a major problem and now I guess it is one less thing for me to worry about. Technically two if you count the truce between you and Dean, which I still don't understand how it came about and I don't suppose that I ever will."  
"Probably not." Felix agreed, cuddling closer to Ryan. Ryan shifted and put an arm around him, making it more comfortable and soon, Felix was asleep again. Dean came back and held Ryan's phone out to him, being as quiet as he could when he noticed Felix sleeping again, which in turn just made him yawn and realise just how tired he was.   
"C'mon" Ryan smiled as he picked Felix up bridal style so that he didn't jostle him too much. "I'll drive you home so that you can get adequate sleep before later. And it looks as though you need a shower too." He commented, looking pointedly at Deans stained blue/pink hair.   
Dean was about to argue, but the determined look on Ryan's face stopped him and he shrugged, "Alright then." He agreed and walked out next to Ryan, picking up his backpack as they went. He would worry about everything else later. Right now he just needed sleep. Or some damn strong coffee.


	9. Chapter Nine

By the time six thirty rolled around, Dean and Felix were wide awake, clean and going through their lines together, much to the shock of everyone else around them, but no one commented in case it broke whatever truce they had agreed to. They had all changed into their costumes and were now waiting backstage for the arrival of Ryan, which in itself was unusual, but since the audience was now filing through the doors, there wasn't much that they could do.  
"Felix, do you have any idea where Ryan is?" Chris asked hopefully, looking over Panther-Lily at him. "Any idea at all?"  
Felix shook his head as he replied, "No. I haven't seen him since he took me home this morning."  
The others shook their heads at Chris before he had the chance to ask them as well, so he sighed and sat back, allowing the cat to sit on him. "Well, he better get here-" before he could finish, the backstage door swung open and Ryan sauntered in wearing a costume. Dan's costume. He glanced at his friends shocked faces and smiled.   
"If you guys spent as much time learning your lines as you do staring, this would have been finished weeks ago." He joked, still smiling when none of them moved.  
"Erm, Ryan? Why are you wearing Dan's costume?" Tom asked the question circling everybody's mind and Ryan rolled his eyes.  
"Seriously? That's what you're caught up on?" He said almost disbelievingly, "Dan we quit, we need a performer, I'm the only other person who knows the script, logical conclusion is I become Dan's character. Everyone okay with that? Yes? Good. We're on in five minutes, places, now." The authority in his tone snapped them all out of their shocked states and they scrambled to get to their places for the first scene. 

The audience booed as Chris appeared on the stage, but aw-ed as he drew Panther-Lily from her spot in his cape and clapped as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Ryan raised an eyebrow at that and made a mental note to speak with Chris because he was fairly certain that they had had a conversation banning the smoke screen for him to disappear ever since one of the tech people had almost died when he used one. He shrugged and thanked his lucky stars that there wasn't anyone on that side of the stage. He looked up in interest as the audience started cheering and realised that Jack and Tom were halfway through their duet and some of the audience members had caught onto the words and had begun singing along with them. He high-fived Tom as he ran off the stage grinning insanely, and was tackled into a hug from Jack.   
"This is going amazingly." Jack whispered loudly so that his voice didn't carry out onto the stage as Chris sang his evil villain song.  
"I know," Ryan answered, pulling out of the hug, but patted him on the back. He turned Jack so he could watch Dean and they both struggled not to laugh at him as he sang and danced around the stage, tripping over his costume many times, but that just made the audience laugh and clap louder, so Ryan figured it was a good feat. He turned nudged Jack as Dean walked off, red in the face from embarrassment, but still smiling.  
"And you're on about..." he looked at his watch, "Now. Go." he pushed Jack and Tom back out onto the stage just as Phil continued his narration of their journey. One which was becoming very irritating every time he said meanwhile. Which was often. Too often. He tried not to feel bad when the audience laughed at Felix in his tree costume, but when he saw Felix smile and be sarcastic to Jack and Tom (and even Phil at some points), he felt slightly better, laughing a bit when the audience did and clapping when the curtain came down to signal the end of the first half. 

They all gathered back stage, cheering and high fiving each other. And of course, there was the teasing that was bound to occur at some point.   
"Did you see the way the cat looked when Chris held her up? I thought she was going to claw him right there and then."  
"Yeah yeah, sure, pick on the guy who has to work with the animal."  
"Hey, at least you didn't keep tripping over your costume."  
"That was so not my fault, leave me alone!"  
"Guys, guys, seriously, calm down." Ryan laughed, "We still have the second half. Don't rile each other up before we finish." He pleaded with his friends and they all laughed and nodded.   
"Alright Ryan. We promise not to kill each other until after the performance is finished and we've been applauded and our awesomeness appreciated," Phil answered with a grin. Ryan rolled his eyes yet again, but laughed along with the rest of them. Felix nudged him and he turned to smile at him.  
"We're on next Ryan." He reminded him and that brought the nerves right back. Ryan didn't really think it through when he decided to become Dan's character, but he forced a relaxed expression on his face anyway.   
"I know. And we'll be fine. I'm sure of it." He said, attempting to reassure himself that it would all be okay. "Come on guys, breaks over, we're on." They all nodded in acknowledgment and made their way back to the stage. Ryan sat in silence as the curtain went up and the performance restarted. Well, here goes, he thought.

Ryan took a deep breath as the spotlight shone down on him, singling him out on the stage. He could hear the audience begin to murmur to each other and he knew that they were all thinking the same thing; why the hell is Ryan on stage!? Ryan hated being in the spotlight. Why he decided to step in, he still had no idea, but he couldn't leave the others in the lurch like that. Swallowing down his nerves, he nodded to Felix, signalling him to start playing and he was given a smile in return. Ryan closed his eyes, which helped him to ignore all the people watching him curiously as the intro passed far too quickly. This was it.   
“I remember tears streaming down your face   
when I said I'll never let you go.   
When all those shadows almost killed your light.   
I remember you said   
don't leave me here alone,   
but all that's dead and gone has passed,   
tonight.”  
Silence washed over the audience like a wave as Ryan's voice filled the air, surrounding them all. He stood up and opened his eyes, looking immediately at Felix who grinned at him in encouragement. Taking a deep breath, Ryan stood up straighter and more confident as he began the chorus, pouring as much emotion as he possibly could into the lyrics he was singing.  
“Just close your eyes,   
the sun is going down,   
you'll be alright,   
no-one can hurt you now,   
come morning light,   
you and I'll be safe and sound.”  
Ryan almost laughed at the awed expressions on the faces of the audience, but he wasn't sure if it was because he was good, or if he was terrible. Nevertheless, he carried on, swaying slightly to the music.  
“Don't you dare look out your window,   
darling every thing's on fire.   
The war outside our door keeps raging on.   
Hold on to this lullaby,   
even when the music's gone.   
Gone.   
Just close your eyes,   
the sun is going down,   
you'll be alright,   
no-one can hurt you now,   
come morning light,   
you and I'll be safe and sound.”  
The music slowed and Ryan sat back down, avoiding eye contact with everyone.  
“Just close your eyes.  
You'll be alright.  
Come morning light.  
You and I'll be safe, and , sound.  
Just close your eyes,   
the sun is going down,   
you'll be alright,   
no-one can hurt you now,   
come morning light,   
you and I'll be safe and sound.”  
The last chord faded of the guitar faded away and the loudest silence that Ryan had ever heard followed it. Panic swelled up within him; silence was never a good thing, right? He hadn't been that awful! He shouldn't have done this, he shouldn't have-  
Clap  
Ryan stared disbelievingly as the audience slowly began to applaud before giving him a standing ovation, clapping and cheering at him. 

They finished the end of their scene, causing the audience to laugh heartily and they stumbled off the stage in fits of barely suppressed giggles. As soon as they were in the wings, Felix grabbed Ryan and pulled him into a hug which he gladly returned.  
“You were awesome Bro.” he congratulated, kissing him quickly.  
“I wasn't that good,” Ryan denied, attempting not to blush.  
“Are you kidding me!?” Chris butted in, “You made the audience cry! Dude, you were epic!”  
“Um, thanks?” Ryan said, shifting awkwardly, no good at accepting compliments. He hugged Felix for a second longer before untangling himself, calling out in his directors voice. “Alright guys, next scene, lets go! Chris, don't forget Panther-Lily.” He grinned at them all in excitement and everyone grinned back, “Let's finish this thing!”


	10. Chapter Ten

The rest of the night went without a single hitch. Ryan eventually got over his stage fright and had begun to actually enjoy himself whilst he was out on the stage and he could tell that the others were feeling exactly the same. Panther-Lily had only scratched Chris once, before she sauntered over to Tom, however, the part of the play in which it happened just made it all the more funnier. Tom and Jack had been 'fighting' Chris and saving Dean and, obviously, Chris had lost.  
"Just give up, Crook, You're never going to beat us." Jack sneered, pointing his fake sword at Chris' throat.  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Chris said slyly, "For I have a secret weapon! Come forth Panther-Lily! Attack!" He swished his cloak as much as he could and Panther-Lily appeared behind him, looking as unimpressed as ever. Chris glared at her expectantly and she just glared back, causing the audience to snigger. "Panther-Lily! Attack!" He said again, but instead of her going to scratch Tom and Jack, she bit Chris' ankles and made him yelp before she bounded up to Tom and climbed up his costume, laying herself across his shoulders. Chris looked confused for a moment, but improvised as best he could. "Panther-Lily! You traitor!"  
"Guess she doesn't like being on the losing side." Tom grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Isn't that right girl?"  
"Mreow." she answered and the audience laughed even harder, applauding the four of them and those of them backstage joined in, grinning as they all walked off.  
"Guys we were great!" Dean commented high fiving Tom and picking Panther-Lily up off of his shoulders, cuddling her close. "And you were great too, weren't you? Whose a good girl? Whose a good girl?" Everyone raised an eyebrow and Jack led everyone away from Dean.  
"Just let him fawn over the cat for a few minutes to get it out of his system."  
"Right, okay. Last scene. Let's make it a good one." Ryan stated, gathering them all in for a group hug. "We can do this guys."  
"Hell yeah we can!" Felix grinned at him and the others joined in, psyching themselves up for the last time they would be on stage that night.

Phil danced back on stage, seemingly appearing from no where to the audience and grinned. "Meanwhile, now that Crook," he waited for the booing to stop before he continued, "Had been banished from the kingdom, the Prince and Princess were planning their lavish wedding." Jack and Dean reappeared and began slowly ballroom dancing....to Wake me Up by Avicii. Ryan couldn't even remember whose idea that was, but he loved it anyway. It was hilarious to watch them keep in time with each other when the music was going so much faster than they were, but it just proved how in sync they were that they didn't even need music. He jumped as Phil's voice spoke up again and he realised that this was his cue.  
"Naturally, since it was a royal wedding, the entire kingdom was invited and a very special performer was booked for the special occasion."  
Ryan made his way behind the small curtain on the stage and waited for Tom and Felix to return to the stage. The curtain was lifted and the audience cheered as the music started, excited to hear what Ryan was going to sing next.  
"There's a calm surrender to the rush of day  
When the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away  
An enchanted moment and it sees me through  
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you  
And can you feel the love tonight?  
It is where we are  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer  
That we got this far  
And can you feel the love tonight?  
How it's laid to rest  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best" 

As Ryan was singing, Jack and Dean danced together and Chris appeared on the stage to dance with Tom as they closed the show. Felix stood close to Ryan and held his hand, swaying slightly together and Phil stood just off in the wings watching them, smiling sadly. He didn't want to dance unless it was with a certain person and that person wasn't here.  
"There's a time for everyone if they only learn  
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn  
There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors  
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours"  
Phil jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder and he spun around, coming face to face with Dan. He was about to ask him why he was there, but Dan cut him off.  
"May I have this dance?" He asked, holding out his hand to Phil. Phil studied him carefully but smiled and nodded, taking Dan's hand and allowing himself to be spun slowly in a circle.  
"And can you feel the love tonight?  
It is where we are  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer  
That we got this far  
And can you feel the love tonight?  
How it's laid to rest  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best."

The song slowed to a stop and the audience erupted into cheers and whistles and clapping as the entire cast came back onto the stage to take a bow. They all grinned at each other and stood waving at the audience until the show curtain came down and shielded them from sight, and they themselves laughed and cheered, having successfully completed opening night with no major dramas or deaths and they all hugged each other. Dan stood awkwardly waiting for them to finish, but Phil dragged him over and then everyone was hugging him to, seemingly forgetting that he had left them in the lurch. They held an after party backstage and stayed there most of the night, laughing about their time on the stage and what their favourite parts were. When they finally decided to call it a night, they gathered into a giant group hug, not saying anything at first, but then Dean spoke up.  
"So, same time next year?"  
"No!"


End file.
